Holcim, SaltX partner to build Europe's first electric cement plant by 2028

Sweden-based SaltX Technology and Holcim have agreed to jointly develop and validate a fully electrified production process for clinker, aiming to build Europe's first electric cement plant by 2028, the companies said March 23.

The joint development agreement expands a partnership formed in June 2025 and will see the companies combine SaltX's electrified calcination technology with newly developed electric sintering methods to produce clinker without fossil fuels, the companies said.

Holcim, which invested in SaltX as part of the initial partnership and is now among its major shareholders, will help scale the technology for commercial deployment.

"The strengthened partnership with Holcim confirms the potential of our technology and marks a key step in developing electrified clinker production," Lina Jorheden, CEO of SaltX Technology, said. "By combining our technology with Holcim's industrial expertise, we can jointly further develop and industrialize solutions for large-scale electrified cement manufacturing."

The collaboration addresses a critical challenge for the cement industry, which accounts for approximately 8% of global CO2 emissions. Calcination, the process of heating cement raw meal to produce clinker, is the most energy-intensive step and the primary source of emissions in cement production.

Development tracks

The companies are pursuing two parallel technical development tracks that can be implemented separately or together in cement facilities. The first focuses on electrified calcination using SaltX's Electric Arc Calciner, which heats cement raw meal with plasma burners to produce calcined material. Following successful initial tests, the companies plan large-scale technology and materials testing at the Electric Calcination Research Center in Hofors, Sweden, during 2026.

The second track aims to develop a fully electrified clinker manufacturing process combining electrified calcination with innovative electric sintering. This work includes ongoing technology development and a comprehensive material testing program throughout the year to validate and optimize clinker production before advancing to the next development phase.

"SaltX's groundbreaking technology gives us an additional lever to decarbonize the cement manufacturing process," Ram Muthu, head of operational excellence at Holcim, said. "By deepening our collaboration with SaltX, we intend to enhance our ability to produce near-zero cement at scale to meet customer demand as the leading partner for sustainable construction."